Situated on the shores of Lake Michigan in northwest Indiana, the LaPorte County Drug Task Force is one of the country’s 33 regional High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA). That means the area is a significant center for illegal drug production, manufacturing, importation or distribution. Sgt. Kyle Shiparski of the Michigan City Police Department is the task force’s current commander. In their line of work, digital evidence is essential. “When we talk about dealing in death cases, the only way for that victim to truly be heard is by what their phone says.”
Digital Evidence Connects the Dots
In 2020, the LaPorte County Drug Task Force responded to multiple drug overdose deaths in a five-day span. Digital evidence played a critical role as investigators worked the case. They were able to recover vital information from digital devices – specifically cell phones and computers. “Who they’re selling to, who they’re buying from, how much they sell, how often they sell,” Det. James Fish of the Michigan City Police Department explained. He stresses that information contained inside these devices can indeed help build a strong, defensible case. “We have to have that digital evidence because that’s where our case essentially starts from and will eventually prove itself.”
“What we were able to do is kind of build this web utilizing variety of things, the most predominate is Cellebrite,” said Capt. Kevin Urbanczyk of the Michigan City Police Department. “Having that type of software and that technology that’s now out there has really made our investigations a lot easier, more effective and much more presentable to a prosecutor,”
The evidence showed the narcotics that had taken the lives of multiple people were all linked to one person. As a result of the investigation, several people are now serving time in federal prison. Sgt. Shiparski said it is “for the simple fact of being able to connect those dots.”
Making A Difference in Their Community
Michigan City Police Department Chief Marty Corley said the work the drug task force is doing is important for the wellbeing of the community. However, it’s not always work they can openly talk about. “They do a lot of good work that sometimes can’t be exposed due to the ongoing investigations, but overall, they’re that unit that really keeps this community safe,” he said.
Sgt. Shiparski is proud of the positive impact the task force is making. Above all, he said it’s about helping his community. “Finding justice for overdose deaths, victims’ families, that’s really what is the most meaningful to not only myself, but also the task force and the agencies that are participating with it.”
View original post here, from our partners at Cellebrite.
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